Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

Hi, All,

I was hesitant to post about my experience regarding this pain clinic, but I just need to know if am I the only one who had this experience or did it happen to someone else, too?

So here it is...IME doctor, vocational counselors recommended that I attend this so called pain clinic to be more employable. This clinic is not like a regular pain clinic, as they believe, they can "heal" patients to teach them, pain can be controlled by the mind or completely ignored. They use occupational therapy, physical therapy, mental counseling and vocational counseling, five days a week for about two months. It is actually more like a very intense work conditioning program where they try to use mind controll, also.

When their doctor(who is also the director of this clinic) examined me about two months ago, he recommended MRI on the neck and also EMG on the right hand and also on both feet due to my symptoms, but he stressed, I have to believe, there is nothing wrong with me and MRI and EMG will show he is right. MRI and EMG showed no serious problems, so I had to go back last week to discuss the treatment plan.

I told him, my symptoms are still the same, even worse, as now my left foot got so swollen and red as lobster two weeks ago, had this terrible burning pain and I couldn't even put weight on it for about a week. He said, they did all the test what I needed and they are perfect detecting if anything was really wrong and I just have to trust them. I told him, I am still believing the pain and symptoms are not just in my head and I would like to know really what's wrong with me. He became angry, he said if I want to live my life in depression and mysery it is my choice. He said, half of the people whom he sees are complaining about same symptoms and we are the ones, who can't be treated, because we want to live in mysery.

He than "examined" me...he said, squiz my hands..I did..he said, nothing wrong with you, because you can squiz my hands. He said, probably the color of my hands, which were kind of reddish/purple is my normal color(not true)becaue my hands were warm, not cold. Than he said, did you drive here? I said, yes, but one handed..he said, no matter, you still drove here therefore nothing wrong with you. He than looked at my feet which were normal this time, he said, come back when they get swollen again.

He than almost threw me out, he said, he can't help this kind of people like me who doesn't want to helped and he doesn't know what my claims manager will say or do because of this.
He told me "come back when you change your mind and believe there is nothing wrong with you" .

So that's how it went, I had this terrible feeling about this clinic for a while and not without any reason.
I know my claims manager wanted me in this program no matter what and now probably will close my claim believing I did not co-operate with this clinic.
I don't know what my vocational counselor will say to this. I will call my attorney tomorrow and let them know what happened.

I need to know...did anything like this happened to any of you?

Thanks for reading.

Kat

I will suggest that you try and get a referal to another PM. clinic and not one the NCM or IC wants.

Thanks, Aqa, I will keep it in mind when I talk to attorney, but I think we don't have any other in the area. We have an other one in a nearby city which is owned by these same people, same director and same tactics.
Kat

Kat,

Sounds crazy to me, and I dont mean you are crazy.. My PM doctor is very caring and helpful. Wish I knew what to tell you other than I think I would "run" the other direction and not return. Sounds to weird, all the mind control. Hopefully your attorney will have the answers for you . Good luck

CARaven,

I didn't have any choice if I wanted to attend or not and I was very stressed out for months fearing I would have to attend every day for two months. I did some research about this clinic and I didn't like what I read how they "heal" injured people.
It was a huge red flag for me to read they used the mind to get rid of the pain...I trully believe they use some type of mind control, maybe hypnosis trying to push people back to work. Maybe they are doing some good with certain people, but even the director admitted, they fail with more than 50 % of patients and these people are a lot worse after finishing the program.
He was very frustrated with me as he voiced his frustration in his 12 page report saying I was very "difficult" and "challenging". The worst part is, this doctor believes, his approach to pain is not just unique but also the best and he is helping a lot of people.
I was there twice and I tried to observe what was going on with other patients..the stange thing was, 99 % of the patients were latinos. I have a feeling, they are the quine pigs as they are afraid to complain or disagree.

I do not think I would have lasted that whole visit with that " mind" doctor. He was in no way a PM doctor from what I read you telling us about what he kept saying to you. I am in the same condition as you. Changing of my hand colors, rash, swelling etc. It is NOT in my mind and the pain is constant. I think he would of pushed me over the limit by making me feel it was all in my head.

I had a simular situation with a fellow on my visit Friday telling me that they are not there to just distribute pain meds and that I need my primary doctor to take over. He then said if I do not want the stimulator planted in me there is nothing more for them to do as they have way to many patients to just keep PRESCRIBING MEDS. Talk about being thrown out on my own in pain after 2 yrs. going there. I was not happy and he was very rude in how he said I was taking up to much of his time for his other patients that need to be seen. Man I left confused, crying and upset.

I then went to my primary where he said he would take over my meds, pick up the WC injury claim and all will be okay. I am going to a new pain management that I am getting a referrel to today. Hopefully this place works out well. When you find you are not getting any help somewhere, it is time to move on. Best of luck and I do feel your pain as I have the same pain as you except in my hands. It is not in your mind.

Kat I think I would run like hell straight to my attorneys office. I understand the whole thinking positive process, etc but this guy is taking it to an extreme. Don't let them convince you nothing is wrong, that seems to be a favorite tactic. Goo dluck and keep us updated.

Hugs,
monster

Kat- i had the same reaction at the work harding PT and then I went back to the surgeon and had the program stopped. went to another PT and when the testing was redone it showed the damage and that it was not repairable and perm.

I'm surprised that they didn't have you on a mat, Barking like a Dog, Dripping water drops on your head, till you started Banging your head against the wall, driving yourself silly.....

As I have heard of Mind Control for Pain Patient's. It was more so done at first under a Religous Nature. Then there was one called Power of Suggestion. Then Mind over Matter. Power of the Mind Control. But, all in all, it is a form of Brain Washing. It will work on weak minded people.

I'm glad your not in that class.

Now, any person, can control themself, or their mind so to speak. It's done by accepting the fact the Pain is there, and it is going to stay there. Then the Mind accepts the fact, and the person simple gets a custom to working with the Pain. But, still the Pain never goes away.

OMG! Kat..I feel so bad. Sounds like a cult. Their tactics are horrible. Hope you can find some help elsewhere/

BB.....I agree. Once I accepted the permanent injuries and pain, the pain did n't go away but I able to learn how to deal with some of it.


Cap